THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY 
SCHOOL OF MEDiaHE 
DtPAHTMUrr OF MiatOB/OlOCr 
m N. WOLFE STREET 
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 31205 
January 4, 1982 
Dr. W.J. Gartland, Director 
Office of Recombinant DNA Activities 
National Institutes of Health 
Building 31, Room 4A52 
Bethesda, MD. 20205 
Dear Dr. Gartland: 
I strongly urge the adoption of the Dec. 4, 1981 Proposed 
Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules (Federal 
Register 46 . 59,368). The risk assessment studies supported by the NIH 
were valuable. They showed that DNA of animal viruses Is much safer In 
recombinant form In E. coll K-12 than In the original virus, since the 
ability of the recombinants to Infect animals or humans Is low or 
nonexistent. Therefore recombinant research should be encouraged as a 
means of understanding viral and other diseases and preventing them If 
possible (e.g., foot and mouth disease). Instead, recombinant research 
has been restricted by NIH Guidelines, slowed down, and subjected to a 
public stigma. Many millions of dollars have been wasted In 
reconstruction of laboratories to meet standards absurd even under 1978 
or 1981 Guidelines, In printing of vast numbers of forms, and In loss of 
researchers' expensive time to Innumerable meetings across the country 
to discuss hazards now recognized as fictitious (see Fed. Register 46 , 
59385). 
Section III contains the statement, "No experiments should be 
performed which Involve" Introduction of new drug resistance to 
pathogens or transfer of genes for potent toxins. This should be 
sufficient to prevent harm from this research. No additional waste of 
time or of taxpayers' money should be required. In particular, the 
12/7/81 proposal of S. Gottesman should not be approved. It does not 
even state the "new text" of containment for covered experiments. 
Yours truly. 
John F. Morrow, Ph.D. 
Department of Molecular 
Biology & Genetics 
JFM; jo 
[6291 
